New home information packs should be scrapped because they will only succeed in hiking up the cost for first-time buyers who are already in crisis, property expert Kirstie Allsopp predicted yesterday.
"They (first-time buyers) are already in crisis and this is just going to make it worse," the Channel 4 Location Location Location presenter said as she joined the Tory housing spokesman Michael Gove as the campaign against the pack stepped up a gear.
She said: "It is not going to do any of the things the Government promised it would like get rid of gazumping and speed up the process.
"Sellers are going to be paying anything up to and over £1,000 when they put their house on the market. The buyers, particularly first-time buyers, are going to see that cost reflected in the house."
Ms Allsopp pointed to the costs and delays the packs will trigger as a reason for them not to be introduced.
She warned that the cost of the pack and the 14-day delay needed to prepare them could deter some homeowners from putting their properties on the market and trigger a negative impact on the economy.
From June next year anyone selling their home will have to compile a home information pack including title deeds, local authority searches and a condition report before they put their home on the market.
